Your Body Exfoliation Guide to have Super Soft Skin this Summer

Exfoliation may well already be part of your skincare regime. But what about your body? It’s important not to neglect exfoliating your body too. Now that the sun is on its way!….no, really, it is, we promise.

Get ready to make those milky-white, translucent pins shine like a well-polished table leg! Months of hiding your body under snugly jumpers, jeans and boots will have taken its toll on your skin. Time to strip off, get yourself to B&Q and purchase some 40 grit sandpaper! Joking aside, for a less extreme option of exfoliating your body, you may prefer to DIY in the comfort of your own bathroom. Or better still; treat yourself to a professional scrub to kick-start the summer season with some baby soft skin.

For less harsh alternatives to exfoliate your body for super soft, summer-ready skin

4 Top Benefits Regular Exfoliation will Have on Your Body.

We’re going to let you into some insider beauty tips on the benefits you can expect from regular exfoliation.

It stimulates the natural production of collagen. We all know what that means. ANTI-AGEING!

It can help reduce “chicken skin” or Keratosis Pilaris, which causes numerous small bumps around hair follicles. In other words, those stubborn pimples on the backs of your arms that keep clinging on like a limpet!

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU EXFOLIATE?

The jury’s still out on this one. Exfoliation is an essential part of your skincare routine.

How often you should scrub your skin varies from person to person. Some people’s skin can only handle exfoliating once a week, while others are able to exfoliate a few times per week.

If you’re unsure, then you can always consult with a professional therapist. Drum roll please. Enter the Bodhi Tree Spa. Our trained therapists are here to help and advise, not merely pamper you within an inch of your life.

As a general rule, most bodies will benefit from exfoliating 2 to 3 times a week. For those with dry skin, try opting for an oil-based scrub. For those with sensitive skin, then once a week should be sufficient. Try a scrub or body wash with micro-beads as these tend to be less harsh on your skin.

How to Exfoliate your Body

Here is my guide on how to exfoliate your body. My skin benefits from 2-3 body scrubs each week. For sensitive or dry skin, you may need to limit to once a week. There are 16 delicious home body & face scrub recipes which I will be trying out myself. I LOVE the sound of ginger and coconut, but let’s face it, we haven’t all got time to whip up a homemade version whilst getting dinner on the table and juggling our busy lives.

My little indulgence is an Elemis Intensely Cleansing Salt Scrub at the Bodhi Tree Spa once a month. My all-time favourite is Frangipani as it smells divine! If I need to have a bit of a pep to revive, then the Lime & Ginger hits the mark!

Elemis Intensely Cleansing Frangipani Salt Scrub

Body scrubbing vs Dry Brushing

Most of us prefer to apply a body scrub to wet skin. However, you can also apply your salt scrub to dry skin too.

I am all for mixing up dry brushing and salt scrubs to exfoliate my body. But I prefer to ‘scrub wet’ by Jumping in a warm bath or shower. This is a pretty important point to note as warm water will help to open your pores, making your skin more susceptible to cleaning.

Salt, Micro-bead and Other Body Scrubs

Start slowly as even 1-2 minutes per week will help revive your skin and give it a fresh glow.

For the best results, allow at least 15 minutes to soak in the bath with your favourite, yet oh so gentle, bubble bath or bath oil. This will soften (macerating) the skin surface. When the surface of your skin starts to look a it“ “deform”d” a.k.a prune skin is prime time for starting to remove dead skin cells.

Scrub your body gently in a small circular motion starting from the ankles. Why? because it helps to encourage positive blood circulation during the exfoliation process.

Work your way up your body remembering to pay particular attention to the super stubborn ‘crusty’ areas such as elbows, knees and heels.

Don’t Skip Your Back. Granted, it’s not the easiest place to reach, make sure you don’t neglect your back. This is when you will need the assistance of a brush. Alternatively, ask your partner to do it for you!

Rinse – After you’ve finished your ‘exfoliate like a pro’ session, be sure to rinse off the product with lukewarm water.

Apply Self-tanner. Now that you’ve scrubbed every inch of your skin, it’s prime time to fake it until you make it. Apply your favourite fake tanning lotion to get that milky white body ready for the sun, which we promised earlier, is coming.

Stroke that super baby soft skin you have now given yourself, slip into freshly laundered sheets and enjoy the next episode of What If on Netflix!

Body Exfoliating is for Men Too!

Gentlemen, we are certainly not going to leave you out of this equation. It’s for all genders to benefit from. Follow the above steps 1-7….steps 8-9 are optional for you too 😉

Dry Brushing for exfoliating your body

If you don’t want to use a scrub, you can also try dry-brushing exfoliation treatment by using a dry bristle brush to help promote circulation.

Dry skin brushing stimulates cell turnover and helps to remove dead skin cells, making cellulite less visible. This is especially good for anyone with orange peel Skin on their bums and thighs.

It’s also key in keeping the lymphatic system working efficiently so also helps to reduce puffiness and can aid in slimming. Dry brushing also helps eliminate toxins, causing fewer bumps and fewer body breakouts.

How to Dry Brush

All you need is a brush with firm bristles and you can get started. You can purchase an official ‘dry body brush’, but we’ll leave this choice to you.

The dry brushing can help wake up the skin and give energy. Many advocates of this process prefer to do this in the morning before getting into the shower.

Starting from your feet, brush your enter body in long strokes. Work towards the heart until every inch of your body has met with ‘Mr Bristles’.

NOTE:Avoid dry brushing on your neck and face and treat those breasts with a less firm hand.

Top Tips for Body Exfoliation

Keep your salt scrub or favourite body scrub to hand in the shower so you don’t forget.

Don’t use brushes or loofahs – they are bacteria magnets – euwwwww!

Use an exfoliating glove or cloth which you can throw in the wash bin along with your daily laundry chores. BONUS – it’s more eco-friendly too.

Some Other Benefits of Exfoliating your Body

It preps your skin for shaving by helping to minimise the risk of ingrown hairs.

It’s an essential part of having a real looking fake tan.

Helps to repair your skin.

We’d love to know how many of you are partaking in the brushing of the body. Is body exfoliation part of your everyday ‘me time’ routine? Let us know in the comments below.

If you have a question about exfoliation, pop that in the comments too and we will reply as soon as we can.